VICE.com’s Feature on the Keene Spiritual Retreat & Rick Van Wickler

by | Jun 2, 2014 | 2 comments

Rick Van Wickler VICESuperintendent Rick Van Wickler of the Cheshire “House of Corrections” aka the Keene Spiritual Retreat has been featured on this blog several times in the past for his heroic advocacy for ending the insane war on drugs.  He’s no stranger to press coverage and now has been made the subject of a recent VICE.com feature that focuses on both his support of drug legalization and his more-humane manner of running a jail.

In the article when asked about drug users, he relates,

The majority of people who drink alcohol in this country have no problems with it. They’re alcohol users: They drink on the Fourth of July, and barbecues, and at the Super Bowl. Then think about somebody who is an abuser of alcohol, meaning that they use alcohol much more than they should. But they’re still working. They still have a house. They’re still in a relationship. Finally, think about an alcohol addict—an alcoholic. Their lives have been destroyed by alcohol. Now, you can take the exact same analogy and just replace alcohol with drugs. Heroin? Cocaine? Meth? You have users, abusers, and addicts in pretty much the same ratios. Let’s not be so damn naïve and say that we in America don’t have professional people that are addicts, because we all know that’s not accurate. We have professional people who are heroin addicts, who have been heroin addicts for years, and are meeting the standards of their employment. That’s happening, and to deny it is an atrocity.

Interestingly, Van Wickler is listed as “Formerly” part of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, a group of mostly former law enforcement who now speak against prohibition. I wonder what the reasons for the split were. I’ve emailed Rick with the question and will post the reasons if he chooses to make them public.

UPDATE 6/2 9pm Eastern: Van Wickler says VICE got that fact wrong and that he is still a part of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition.

Here’s the piece from VICE.

Rick Van Wickler, Compassionate Jail Superintendent, and Drug War Opponent

by | Dec 4, 2012 | 0 comments

Rick Van Wickler is the superintendent of the Cheshire Department of Corrections, which operates the county jail, aka the Keene Spiritual Retreat. Rick has for years been speaking out against the insane “War on Drugs”, which is really just a war on our friends and family. Here’s his recent appearance as part of the Beyond Bars “Safekeepers” campaign, where he explains his path to finding compassion for the people he is tasked with keeping in a cage, many of whom don’t belong in jail, but are forced there by an inhumane system. Van Wickler brings a level of humanity to an operation where it’s normally hard to find. I really appreciate that we have him running the Cheshire jail, rather than some sadist, as is frequently the case in other “Departments of Correction”:

Rick Van Wickler Discusses the County Jail on WKBK

by | Sep 24, 2010 | 11 comments

Thanks to Dan Mitchell for having Cheshire County Jail superintendent Rick Van Wickler on his show to discuss a few issues related to the jail.

I called in to discuss taxpayers subsidizing federal prisoners (and the larger jail), the private property signs, and the continued targeting of Free Keene activists.  Unfortunately Van Wickler advances the Campaign for Ignorance by painting me as the “leader” and claiming “Sam’s group” has people that want to be in jail. If I’m your leader, I have to say, you guys suck at taking orders.

I don’t hink any of us want to be in jail, but there’s a willingness to use the system’s threats and punishment to raise awareness to the injustice and immorality inherent in such actions.

Grab the archive.

If you want to listen to the full interview, download the full hour here from WKBKRadio’s website.

Rick Van Wickler Discusses Prohibition on “Talkback”

by | Apr 24, 2010 | 3 comments

Radio TowerLiberty-minded people called “Talkback” on WKBK last week to discuss felons, government aggression, leaving people alone, withholding taxes, and prohibition. Rick Van Wickler, speaker for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, and superintendent at the Cheshire jail appears as a co-host on this particular program. The hosts spend the last thirty minutes of the program discussing drug prohibition and Rick is very persuasive. I’m so glad he’s here in the Cheshire county area. He’s a thinker and isn’t afraid to take an unpopular, yet generally correct position. Of course, he is still participating in an inhumane system, but I’d rather see him running it than some sadist. Plus, he’s wrong that the government should regulate drugs, but he’s right in every other aspect. Rick is doing outstanding work within the system.

Grab the archive.

Do you love liberty and live, work in, visit, or plan to move to the Keene area? If so, it would be great for you to get involved with this project each week. Here’s how you can help:

Please join us for our weekly chat and calling sessions on Saturday mornings from 9a-12p in the Liberty Radio Network Chat room. If you’re online, you can listen to Talkback streamed live via the Liberty Radio Network and if you’re in the Keene area you can tune in to WKBK 1290 AM or 104.1 FM. The Talkback discussion thread is here on the Free Keene Forum.